Protecting shield or guard for pneumatic tires.



, No. 873,919. PATBNTBD DEG. 1v, 1907.

W. S. ARNOLD. PROTECTING SHIELD OR GUARD FOR PNEUMATIO TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED IBB. 1B. 1907.

` Mns/5555s I W O v @www MM erentially by arallel linked chains, the cony maintain the pneumatic tires Acool and well Vso matictires of an automobile against pune the skidding of the automobile 4while travelya pneumatic tire; Fig. 2 is a broken side view WllililAM S. ARNOLD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, (jAlilFOl'tNlA.

PROTECTING SHIELD OR GUARD FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 17, 1907.

AApplication filed February 18| 1907. ,S'erial No. 357,880.

To all whom fit may concern.:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM S.. AnNoLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful "Improvements in Protecting Shields or Guards for Pneumatic ',lires, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprises a proL tecting shield or guard for automobile tires; the same consisting yof a series of independent blocks or segments held ltogether circumstruction of t ie blocks or segments being such that each has a movement independent of the adjacent blocks `or segments; a ilexible shield or guard being thus provided, the blocks or segments composing the same having free independent movement in all directions.

'The object of the invention is to provide a shield or guard which will protect the pneutures and excessive wear, thereby materially prolonging the life of thc tires; to prevent l ing over slippery or moist roadways; to

ventilated, thereby providing against blowouts due to overheating of the air held within the tire,

To com rehcnd the invention reference Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on line Fig. 42 ol' thel drawings, the shield or guard being illustratml as applied to in elevation of the shield or guard and the tire to'which the same is applied; Figj is an i enlar ed transverse sectional view ol' one ol the b ocks or segments composing the shield or guard; Fig. 4 is a sectional view in end velevation of one of the blocks or segments and Fig. 5 is a view similar to that illustrated l by Fig. 3 of the drawings, showing the construction of a block or segment to be. used in i the formation of a shield or guard for 'use in territory where the roa'idways are mainly ol a. s sandy nature.,

The shield or guard is composed ol' a series of blocks or se ments 1, wl'u'eh are held together circun erentially by means of the parallel linked chains 2. These `chain con; nections extend through longitudinal grooves lserve as guards against the admission of n'iud and stones into the chain opening or grooves 3.

The blocks or segments l are preferably formed of wood, although the same may be constructed of aluminium,compressed liber, or any other suitable material. However,

preference is given to wood, owing tov the cheapness thereof, its lightness, and the ease Withwhuzh the same may be worked.

block or segment is cut away as shown at 4 to correspond to the contour of thetire 5 over which the same is to be fitted, so as to enable the bloekfor segment to embrace the exposed surface of the said tire' 5. ln order that the wear of the blocks or segments may be provided against, cach block or segment 1 has 'detachably secured l to the outer face thereof a tread shoe 6, said shoe being preferably composed oi' compressed liber. l he faces 7-7 oll the blocks or segments 1 are slightly curved from top to betteln, thus allmving each block or segment when held circumlerentially to rock or oscillateindependently ol' adjacent blocks so as to give circumferetially to the compression of the pneumatic tire, and to permit oll the same yielding to inequalitiesof the roadway.- A pivotal contzu-,t is thus made between the surfaces ol' adjacent blocks, which permits ol' lree and independent movement of the blocks or segments. Owing tothe beveled or inwardly incline oll the outer ends of the blocks or segments 1, each will give laterally to obstriu-,. lions encountered in the roadway. .By the use ol' the described shield or guard a lree circulation of air is maintained for the pneumatic tire 5, giving perfect ventilation thereto, resulting in the tire being kept cool at all times, preventing the overl'ieating ol' the air held therein and obviating danger of a blow-out. j

luasmueh as each bloek'or segment 1' is l'ree ol' locked eiigagement with 4adjacent blocks or segn'ients, all the blocks or segments beinghcld circumferentially in position by linked chain connections, each block or'segment is permitted free movement in The `under fac-i surface or the .bearing tace of each 9 is fitted within such portions of the blocks ting, when the blocks or segments are formed -5 of the drawings.

To overcome the tendency of the embracing portions 8 8 of lChe-blocksor segments splitof wood, a strengthening screw, rivet or bolt or segments, the same extending well into the body portion thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 and The block or segment 9 disclosed by Fig. 5 of the drawings, 1s mainly designed for the construction of a shield or guard to be used for travel in territory having roadways mainly formed of sand. For such travel it is deemed best that the upper surface of each block or segment be cut away centrally,` so a's to give a concave central portion 10. The flattened tread portions at each extremity of the central cut away portion i() are protected by the detachable shoes 1]. Instead of inclining or beveling the outer ends of the embracing portions 12 of the block or segment 9, the same are formed straight, but otherwise the construction of the said block or segment 9 is the same as that previously described. The tendency of a shield or gua-rd' composed-of blocks or segments 9, that is having a central cut away portion 10, is to compress the sandy or loose soil within the depressed portion ot the blocks or segments, thereby producing a compact support for the wheel, preventing its sinking deeply into the roadbed.

In the construction of' the'improved shield. or guard, a suflicient number of the blocks or segments l are strung' on the linked parallel chain connections 2 to form a shield or guard which, when the linked chains are united in the usual manner, will be of a diameter slightly greater than that ot' the tire 5 when deflated. The flexible shield or guard thus formed is slipped over the deflated tire, after which the tire is inflated, and the shield or guard held thereto by the expansion of the tire. As the tread section or shoe 6 of the blocks or segments become worn, the same are removed and replaced by new shoes. By the employment of the detachable tread shoes, injury to the blocks or segments composing the shield or guard by wear is obviated, as the said blocks or segments are not brought intodirect contact with the surface of the roadbed.l While the under surfaces or faces of the blocks or segments appear semicircular in form, it is obvious that the shape given thereto will be such as to conform substantially to the contour of the tire j to be embraced. By reason of the close conl nection made between. the blocks or segments composing the shield or guard, nails and other puncturing articles are excluded i from engagement with the rubber tire protected by the shield or guard. 1

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is- 1. A flexible shield or guard for the protecting of pneumatic tires, the same comprising a' series of independently movable segments shaped to embrace the tire to Abe protected', a tread shoe detachably united to the outer surface of each segment, and linked parallel chains on which the segments are strung and held circumferentially.

2. A flexible shield or guard for pneumatic tires, the same 'comprising a series of indeendently movable segments,` each segment aving its under surface cut away to conform substantially to the contour ofthe tire to be embraced thereby, a groove or channel in the outer end faces of the embracing portion of each segment composing the shield or guard, linked chainsextending through the said grooves or channels to hold the series of segments circumferentially and end plates for each segment to protect the grooves or channels and the end walls of the said segments.

3. A flexible shield or guard -for pneumatic tires, the same comprising a series ol independently movable segments shaped to conform to the contour oi the tire to be embraced thereby, a groove-.or channel formed in the outer end faces of each of the said segments, linked chains extending through the said grooves or channels to hold the segments circumferentially, end plates for each y segment to protect the said grooves or channels and the end walls of the segments, and strengthening means extended through the embracing portions of the segments to prevent the splitting thereof.

4. A iiexible shield or guard for pneumatic tires, the same comprising a series of indeendently movable segments held circumerentially by parallel linked chains extended through each segment of the series of segments, the under face of each segment being shaped to conform substantially to the contour ot the tire to be embraced by the shield or guard, the outer surfaces of the segments being curved from top to bottom to provide pivotal contact between adjacent segments, and awear shoe detachably united to each segment.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

winLiAM s. ARNOLD.

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